Originally from the highlands, the potato has been with us for about 8,000 years, it is recognized as the most consumed food worldwide
Despite being part of our daily diet and hosting more than 3,500 varieties of this tuber, we often do not know how to identify them and what wonders we can do with them.
Potatoes are classified as:
Modern or native
Modern or hybrid (genetically modified)
In recent years, the consumption of native potatoes has grown enormously, however, we are still a country that imports a lot of potatoes, being one of the 10 countries with the highest production in the world.
China is currently the largest producer of hybrid potatoes in the world. It is said that 25% of the varieties grown in China were improved with Peruvian varieties.
FAVORITE POTATOES
1. Yellow Potato ( Papa Amarilla
Compact, with light brown skin and deep dimples. It has yellow flesh that is soft and sandy when cooked.
It is ideal for stews because it absorbs the juices, for the mass of the cause and to thicken broths.
2. White Potato
It is large, oval and flattened. Its skin is clear and has white pulp and firm texture like apple. Because it does not fall apart when cooked, it is very well parboiled and browned.
3. Canchan
Hybrid potato with slightly pink skin and light yellow flesh. It keeps its firm texture during cooking.
4. Huamantanga (Lima)
It is a type of elongated native potato, with yellow to brown skin. It has floury pulp, is very tasty and is widely used parboiled or in stews.
5. Huayro
It is an elongated native potato with deep dimples and pink to purple skin.
It has a floury texture and is used mainly in traditional Peruvian foods.
6. Black Potato
It has a dark skin, but inside its pulp is yellow, sandy and sweet.
It is consumed in many ways: fried, in stews and purees.
7. Peruanita
Native, with red and “white” (light yellow) skin, it has yellow pulp, which becomes floury with cooking. It is used in purees, creams and stews, to thicken its juices. It is perfect for frying with the skin.
8. Tumbay
Yellow skin and pulp, it is a potato of floury texture when cooked, it is very used in stews because it absorbs juices and thickens the juices.
9. Cocktail
Small potatoes ideal for snacks. Some have a compact texture, others are floury.
10. Purple Potato
It has a high content of iron and zinc, which represents a much higher percentage than commercial potatoes for consumption.